HIBBING PUBLIC SCHOOLS
INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT 701


BOARD POLICY 609
SERIES: 600 Education Programs
SUBJECT: 609 Religion
ADOPTED:  
REVISED:  


The school district shall neither promote or disparage any religious belief or non-belief, but shall rather encourage all students and employees to have an appreciation for and tolerance of each other’s views.

The school district shall:

Recognize that religion has had and is having a significant role in the social, cultural, political, and historical development of civilization;

Recognize that one of its educational objectives to increase its students’ knowledge and appreciation of music, art, drama, and literature which may have had a religious basis or origin as well as a secular importance;

Support the inclusion of religious music, art, drama, and literature in the curriculum and in school activities provided it is intrinsic to the learning experience and is presented in an objective manner without sectarian indoctrination; and

Support explanations in an unbiased and nonsectarian manner of historical and contemporary values and the origin of various religions, holidays, customs, and beliefs.

It shall be the responsibility of the superintendent to ensure that the school district complies with Minnesota and federal law, school district policy, and any approved guideline and/or directives regarding the study of religious materials, customs, and beliefs.
The superintendent may develop guidelines and directives for school board review and approval for the purpose of providing guidance relative to the teaching of materials related to religion.

The Hibbing School District neither endorses nor opposes release time for religious instruction.

Release time is allowed in the elementary schools.  During release time, teachers will present meaningful instruction to students.  Students who attend release time will be given the opportunity to make up work that is missed.  If new concepts are introduced, they shall be re-introduced to those who missed classes.  Under no circumstance should anything be done which may deter a student from attending release time.



Legal References:
U.S. Constitution, First Amendment
Lemon v. Kurtzman, 403 U.S. 602, 91 S.Ct.2105,29 L.Ed.2d 745 (1971)
Florey v. Sioux Falls Sch. Dist. 49-5 619 F.2d 1311 (8th cir.) cert. denied, 449 U.S. 987, 101 S.Ct. 409, 66 L.Ed.2d 251 (198)